HomeMy WebLinkAbout1934-07-1074
Telephone
Service
Hatch Farm
Mary Lowe
to vacate
SELECTMENIS MEETING
JULY 10, 1934
A regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen was hold
at the Selectmen's Roam, Town Office Building, on Tuesday,
July 10, 1934 at 7;30 p.M. Messrs. Trask, Gilereast, Ferguson
and O'Connell were present. The Clerk was also present.
At 7:55 P.M. Mr. Busby of the New England Telephone &`-
Telegraph Co. came before the Board and stated that owing to
the construction of the new Concord Avenue highway, it will
be necessary to change the poles to give service to the Hatch
Farm. It would be necessary to have the wires brought over
the.naw highway and Mr. Busby stated that the Department of
Public Works would approve of the overhead structure. He
stated also that it would be high enough so that it would not
bother trucks: If the Board desired to grant permission with-
out a hearing it could be done and he would prepare the proper
forms for the Board to sign granting the permission.
The Board voted to grant the permit without a hearing.
Mr. Perley Tibbetts, who is acting as Building Inspector
in the absence of Mr. Longbottom, came before the Board in
reference to complaint of Mr. Bedros Bashian relative to
the violation of the Building Law by Mrs. Mary Lowe who oc-
cupies a shack on Wood Street adjacent to the property of
Mr. Bashian. Under date of March 8th the Health Inspector
made a report of the conditions existing and under date of
March 16 the Building Inspector reported that Mrs. Lowe
intended to demolish the shack and build a new house this
spring providing she could borrow money to complete the job.
She also owns land on Waltham St. the proceeds from which she
would apply to the construction of her house.
Mr. Tibbetts reported that she had now abandoned plans to
demolish her shack and build a new house -and Mr. Tibbetts in-
formed her that the place she was living in did not oomplT
with the law as there were no facilities such as toilet and
drainage. She stated that she was acting upon advice of her
counsel, Mr. N. P. Sipprelle of 6 Beacon St. Boston, and that
she intended to stay in the shack.
The Board authorized Mr. Tibbetts to order Mrs. Mary
Lowe to vacate her shack on or before August 1st, 1934.
The Building Inspector also reported investigating the
complaint made by Mrs. Maud March relative to Frank Parker
living in a tent and shanty cn Freemont St. He found Mr.
Parker cooking his supper in a shanty in which there were no
toilet facilities. He also sleeps in a tent near the shanty.
The Inspector informed him that the place in vrhich he was
1
' living was in violation of the law.and he pleaded that he was
poor and did not have the funds to live elsewhere. He asked
him if he would vacate or if he would have to proceed under
the lawegainst him to vacate, and Mr. Parker stated that he
intended to stay there.
The Board voted to authorize the Building Inspector to
have notice served by a Constable on Frank Parker to vacate
the shanty on Freemont St. and also the tent on or before
August 1s t, 1934.
Mr. Tibbetts also reported that he investigated the con-
dition of the barn owned by Harry M. Aldrich and located in .
back of the McCarthy house and next to the Post Office. and
found that the floor sills, joists and under -pinning were in
a very dangerous condition. He posted the barn as being un-
safe and forbidding its use, and notified the owner to make
the barn safe at once.
75
Parker to
vacate
shack on
Freemont St.
Aldrich
Barn
The Bond of Howard S. 0. Nichols as Clerk of the Trustees
of Public Trusts being incharge of the funds in the bank, was Nichols
approved by the Board. Bond
It was voted to authorize the Town Treasurer to secir e
bids on10,000. loan for Water Construction, the same to be Water
payable 42000. annually for five years, and bids to be received Loan
' on July 17th at 6 P.M.
Sketch of the proposed neer figure of the Lexington Minute-
Mam an the Torn Seal was presented. Suggestion was made that
there should be some back ground back of the statue. Suggestion
was also made that a view looking squarely at the statue rather Town
than a profile might be better. It was decided to submit the Seal
sketch to Herman.Dudlpy Murphy to obtain his ideas.
Hearings were declared open upon the applications of James
R. :smith for permission to erect garages as follows:
A. Plymouth Rd.
One
Car
C. Plymouth Rd.
Two
"
1.A. Tower St.
Two
"
" Garages
20 Plymouth Rd.
Two
30 Robbins Rd.
One
Smith
" Smith
Mr. Smith was present and presented plans showing the in-
tended locations of all the garages and asked permission to
locate the garage cn Robbins Rd. back of the house rather than
In the location shown.
V6 persons appeared to object and it was voted to grant
all •pertits' whi-ch Mr ''''Smith applied for, subject to the approval
of the Building Inspector.
Hearing was declared open at 8:05 P.M on the applieation
of C. E. Hall & Sons of 60 New Cross St., Somerville for permission
76:
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to maintain a 2,000 gallon gasoline tank on land owned by
Mary D. Hatch on Watertown St.
Representative of the company appeared and presented
sket6h showing the intended location of the gasoline tank,
and stated that the tank would be located 300 feet from the
main highway and 1000 feet from both the Hatch and Norton
houses.. He stated that the tank was to furnish gasoline
for their own use and that nothing was to be sold and the
tank was needed only for the duration of the highway con -
Gasoline
struction of Concord Avenue. He stated that it was very
Permit
difficult to find a location for the tank underground inas-
C. E. Hall
much as the land was very rocky. He stated that he would
communicate with the Fire Chief before filling the tank.
No persons appeared to object and it was voted to grant
the permit for 2,000 gallons of gasoline to be located on
the Hatch property 300 feet from Watertown Street for the
private use of C. F. Hall & Sons, Somerville, for the period
expiring April 30, 1935.
Hearing was declared open upon the application of Annie
Bierenbroodspot for permission to maintain a one car garage
under heig house on -'Ridge Road.
Mr. Bierenbroodspot appeared and stated that the plans
had been filed with the Building Inspector: The house is
Garage located within fifteen feet of the street line, but permit
Bierenbrood- for the addition to this house was recently granted by the
spot Board of Appeals. It was therefor voted to grant the permit
subject to the approval of the Building Inspector.,
Report of the inspection of the property of Mrs. Thomas
Griffin, A. Shirley Street by P.F..Dacey showed that there
was a leak in one chamber ceiling and wall next to the chimney
which comes from inside the chimmey and which probably is
caused by water coming down inside the chimney and working
Griffin through a joint of the flue lining, He stated that the con-
Dama a dition could not be fixed without considerable expense. The
Blas ing Board felt that as long as the chimney did not leak around
the flashing and the outside roof was d 1 right that this
condition could not have come from the blasting done for.sewer
construction.
The Board therefor voted to inform Mrs. Griffin that they
did not feel that the town was l iable for the condition ex-
isting inasmuch as they did not believe it could be caused by
the blasting.
Sewer orders for the installation of sewers in the follow-
ing streets were signed by the Board:
Sewer Orders Taft Ave. from Oharles St. a distance of approximately 100 feet;
Tarbell Ave. from Taft Ave. a distance of approximately 100 feet:
Cary St. from Taft Ave. in a northerly direction approximately '
2'70 feet;
Cherry 8t. from Taft Ave. in a northerly direction a dis-
tance of approximately 180 feet;
Taft Ave. from Mass. Ave. to Daniels St. a distance of approximately
890 feet.
77
,Letter was received from the Department of Public Utilities
'
enclosing the copy of order of the department, on the petition
of the Board of Selectmen that the department consent to the
laying out of Pletcher Avenue across the tracks of the Boston
and Maine Railroad. .The order stated as follows: "In view of
the foregoing and other facts and circumstances in this case,
we are of the opinion that public convenience and necessity
Fletcher
do not require the laying out of Fletcher Avenue, in the Town
Ave.
of Lexington, crossing at a level with the tracks of the Boston
Petition
and Maine Railroad, and the Department of Public Utilities does
Denied
not consent thereto in writing:"
1
u
Thi# Chairman explained.that prior to having a Town Physician
the charges made for regular calls of physicians were paid for
by the State and other towns and cities, at the regular fee.
Now that we have a town physician the average fee for his calls
amounts to from 75� to 87� per visit. It was therefor voted to
make a charge of $1.00 each visit to other cities and towns for
physiciants fees.
Letter was received from Judge Northrup giving notice of
a claim under General Laws, Chapter 84 Section 18 and 19 and
amendments thereto of the case of John Kargaard of 226 Lincoln
St. who.fell into a tranch for the installation of a water main
on Lincoln St. on June .30th, 1934 receiving bodily injuries.
The original letter from Judge Northrup was turned over
to the representative of the Employers Liability Assurance Corp-
oration inasmuch as this company holds the insurance covering
the Water and Sewer'Department, and they have already started
investigation of the claim.
It was decided therefor to notify Judge Northrup that this
matter woAld be handled by the Employers Liability Assurance
Corporation.
Mr Ferguson called attention to the fact that the front
doors of the Town Office Bldg. should bepainted and he sug-
gested that if cream colored paint was used that it probably
would last longer inasmuch as there is lead in the lighter
colored paint. The black and green not having any lead can-
not resist the sun. It was therefor decided to ask,Mr. Greeley,
the architect of the building, his opinion relative to cream
colored paint on the doors.
Mr. Gilcreast reported having visited Elisha W. Otis of
868 Mass. Avenue and Mrs. Otis in reference to their applica-
tions for Old Age Assistance. Mrs: -Otis is confined to her
bed and is 79 years of age. He is 83 years of age and unable
to do anything. A. Mr. Rich, formerly of Chase and Sanborn,
has paid Mr. Otis' rent for the past three years and now for
some unknown reason has stopped the payment.
Mr.-Gilereast recommended $5. be granted each week to
both Mr. and Mrs. Otis and with this income of $10. per week
he felt they would be able to get along.
Report was received from the Health Inspector in which
he stated that the old automobiles still remained on Shea
Welfare
Charges
Kargaard
Claim
Town
Office
Doors
E.W. Otis
Old Age
78
n
property facing Brick Village development.
He also reported that the dump in the rear of the
'
Master Service Station still had one old automobile that has
not been removed.
The Inspector reported in regard to the complaint rela-
tive to a family by the name of Roake on Homestead St. that
the sanitary conditions were very bad. They get water from
the neighbors and have no toilet facilities. There were eight
Roake
persons living there with only two beds. Debris was also
Shack
thrown upon the ground. The windows are also boarded up.
The Inspector recommended that the place be condemned.
It was therefor voted to serve notice on Mr. Roake to
vacate this house within fifteen days.
Letter was received from the Supt. of Public Works in
which he gave a list of the expenditures of the Highway Main-
tenance Account from Jan. 1 to July 1 as $28,962.88 leaving
$13,037.12 for the balance of the year. There will. now be the
betterment streets to construct that will take the time of the
highway men and relieve the regular highway maintenance. A
general discussion was had with the Supt. of Public Works in
regard to making a program of the work for the highway maintenance
Highway
-so that the,funds will not be all spent during the first part
Mainten"
of the year and nothing left for, the balance of this year. The
ante
Chairman suggestid that the Supt. of Public Works give the
Highway Supt. a better chance to make plans for the department
and estimates of the work to be done on streets so that the
'
work will not be done in a haphazard manner and the Supt. given
a chance to show what he can do with the department. For instance
plans had not been made to surface Lincoln St* and it is doubt-
ful whether there will be any money to do the work although it
was known that this street was torn up.
The Supt. of Public Works was requested to bring in bids
Sherman on .the construction of the Sherman Street Bridge on July 24th.
St. Bridge The bids.to be made on specifications to be prepared by him.
The Board approved the renewal of $5000. blanket fire
Insurance insurance which expired through the office of Robert S.
Sturtevant'on July 10th.'
The Board authorized the employment of a clerk in the
Copying Selectmen's Department for a period of four weeks.at the
Records rate of $12. per week for the purpose of copying records.
The meeting adjourned at.9:00 P.M.
A true record, Attest:
Clerk.